I've got the Chaintech AV710 under Linux... connected to ATH-AD700's directly with no amplifier. All the analogue output channels work except for the Wolfson DAC (next to the SPDIF port). So I thought that maybe this is due to those outputs not having enough power to drive ATH-AD700's? Or...

Quote: Originally Posted by EnOYiN For a ABX test you should apply a gain. Replaygain or mp3gain will do this for you. Mp3 will always have a different volume (louder) than a file encoded with FLAC. Yes, I tried that as well, but the volumes are only out by 0.01dB or some other...

Quote: Originally Posted by Rempert This is a bit confusing, because 115 kbps suggests CBR, whereas -V6 is VBR. A 115 kbps CBR encoding will usually be a lot easier to ABX than a -V6 one, even if the -V6 file is smaller. On-board sound is not ideal, but to be honest it may not...

Quote: Originally Posted by Pm@c I have an A8N-SLI, and the X-FI works just fine with mine (i hadnt updated the bios, but i did recently because dual core wasnt working when i upgraded). So X-fi should work (im 99% sure). As well, they are right, onboard sound for this motherboard...

Quote: Originally Posted by fjf I have one of those with SPDIF. Onboard audio is an AC97 (whatever that means) noisy, noisy, noisy, noisy, noisy, noisy, noisy. Not usable for music. It cracks and beeps and pops and clics. You get the point. I've got this motherboard and I can...

Headphones: AudioTechnica ATH-AD700 Source: ASUS A8N-SLI Motherboard On-Board Sound Music: Various tracks from the Ultrasone CD (Lossless) Player: foobar2000 0.9.4.2 Playback Method: ASIO plugin for foobar2000 (I've also tried kernel streaming and the normal playback method) Drivers Used...

Quote: Originally Posted by jdimitri That's the guy breathing You're right, that is definitely pretty amazing! It feels a bit like you're sitting next the pianist

Quote: Originally Posted by slwiser I just downloaded it. What is the best extraction software for this format? Free, open source, regularly updated: 7-zip @ http://www.7-zip.org/

Quote: Originally Posted by y0- Yup, the AD series are all open air phones. They do leak sound both in and out, but it is not a big deal for roommate or myself. At normal listening volumes, someone standing near you could maybe hear the odd gunshot or explosion, but thats about it...

Quote: Originally Posted by y0- As others have said, they do lack a little impact, but they do respond well to EQ. My ATH-AD700's are normally EQ'd lightly on the bass end, and they handle it perfectly. Of course, you can't have too much bass because it'll sound fake and you'll...

I turn the bass up lightly for my ATH-AD700's, just below the stage where it starts to drown out the mids/highs. I agree that bass is very important but there is nothing I hate more than bass which drowns out the rest of the music. Too much bass will remove detail from the music. But equally as...

These headphones are 32ohm... do you really need an amp for these? This is a serious question, because I was thinking about whether I need one for the ATH-AD700's. I'm thinking that an amp wouldn't change much (if anything)?

The ATH-AD700's have plenty of bass 'capacity'. I first listened to them via motherboard onboard sound (nforce4 drivers) and it is terrible... you get a lot of low-level static interference coming out of the source. This has nothing to do with headphones, it is the motherboard/drivers. But...

Thanks everyone, I have the ATH-AD700 arriving tomorrow and will report back

Quote: Originally Posted by makasin ya i cant see the pics They seem to be working for me... if they still don't show, I will reupload them to another host.

Quote: Originally Posted by billinkansas I've had both the HD555 and the AD700. The AD700 goes deep enough to play low pipe organ tones with clarity, while the HD555 doesn't even sound these pitches. I'm talking about pitches below 20hz. The HD555 is pretty strong down to about 40 hz...

Quote: Originally Posted by sgrossklass Sounds like you might be a candidate for Grados/Alessandros, some MS-1s maybe. They're supraaural though. If you want something circumaural, another alternative would be the AKG K301Xtra (or K530, basically the same with K701-esque looks and...

I've been using the world's most disgusting headphones (broken HD470s, then LOLmodified) and the things that suck most about these are (correct me if I use the wrong words): - uncomfortable in every possible way, they press harshly into your ears - completely deprived of flair/detail/midrange...

Quote: Originally Posted by CLum Senn hd485 is where you should be looking in this price range. No amp necessary just plug and groove. They work extremely well for trance. I don't know much about headphones but I've listened to a HD485 and HD555 side by side, and the HD485 is a...

Firstly, HD470 headphones are amazing! But the deep, richly intellectual quality of audiosonic capabilities procured was not adequate for my top end fidelity needs. Hence I was overly delighted at my decision to modify these HD470 headphones using aerospace quality components and cabling...